Charlie Gard

Today i would like to touch upon a "Hot Topic" to do with a 10 month old baby boy named Charlie Gard.

Charlie was born a healthy baby boy last August to his British parents Chris and Connie. Then in September sadly he was diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. A Deadly condition that causes muscle weakness and brain damage. Charlie was the 16th person in the world to be diagnosed with this condition. Chris and Connie had to face the unthinkable, that their 10 month old son may not make through early stages of his life.

However they were determined to fight for their son no matter what the medics said and rightly so! I don't think that ANY mother or father in this world would not fight for their child if faced with this situation. They heard that a Doctor in America had a trial therapy set up for their son but it would cost over 1 Million Dollars. Instead of backing down they created a GoFundMe account and asked for sponsorship. They succeeded in raising 1.4 million pounds (1.8 Million Dollars). Chris and Connie saw this as a glimpse of Hope and their darkness was overcome by this light that broke through the cracks of their shattered hearts. There was light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel.

Or was there?

Chris and Connie were quickly informed by Charlies Doctors that his case was something that they couldn't help with and it would be better to allow Charlie to "Die in Dignity". Also adding that the Therapy Trip to the US for the sake of Charlie's life was "Experimental and Wouldn't Help". They decided that Charlie's life support should stop as a result despite what his parents were fighting for.

Chris and Connie lost their legal battles, but had 1 last chance with the ECHR (European Court Of Human Rights). If Charlie was to have a fighting chance of survival then the ECHR would be those that would give it to the Gard family. Sadly they too rejected their plea and agreed that Charlie's life support machine ought to be turned off.

I understand this is a difficult time for the Gard family and also it's a difficult choice medically to make but don't the parents have the last word in this? Don't they have the right to fight for their child and if needed to undergo this "Experimental Therapy" that was offered by the US? Even if ECHR had permitted for Chris and Connie to travel to the US with Charlie and get him treated there explaining to the family something like, "We understand and have stated this is experimental. We don't think it will work and have medically defined that Charlie's early life is doubtful, but want you to choose what you feel is right for your Son". That would have been ok right?! Instead the machine is being turned off and the parents don't have a say. Most of all Charlie is having his life taken before he can have a say. Again I repeat, its not an easy choice for the anyone to make but just say the treatment from the US actually worked. Charlie would be able to enjoy a life that is long as well as a future that is bright?

I believe in a God who can heal and extend life, even using "Experimental Therapy" through the hands of Doctors, Surgeons, or whomever. Maybe it was Gods will for Charlie to live longer than the medics have said? Maybe part of God's plan was to use the US doctors for Charlie's life to be extended? Sometimes we can have a mentality that says "If I can't do it, nobody else will be able to either." One example is found in Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"

Simon was a fisherman and no doubt he knew how to fish, but his response to Jesus when He asked for the nets to be put out into deep water was "Master we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything yet, but because you say so I will let down the nets". Simon may of well have said "If we can't do it then neither can you" or even "I'm a fisherman what can you tell me about fishing?" We read Simon's response as the nets get dragged in with a great amount of fish, "Go away from me lord I'm a sinner."

It's a little bit like the medics saying "Experimental Therapy" won't work. We've tried and if we can't do it neither will you? I write this living in the UK and have been looked after at times by Doctors and Medics. I don't have a wrong word to say about them. They have saved my life more than once. If you and I are totally honest with ourselves we will admit that our minds can be so narrow?! We so easily put restrictions on ourselves, each other, and most of all God. The mind is a very powerful tool that can think negative as well as all kinds of evil. God wants to widen our minds so we can know more of His greatness and majesty. Maybe there are Strongholds in our minds that need to be tore down!

2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Forgive us Lord for our thoughts and our ways. Help us surrender to you our foolish minds that limit you and each other. Break every stronghold and enable us to capture every thought in Jesus Name! Amen.

OmniGodMusic, Pray for the Gard Family at this time.

Father we lift up Chris and Connie to you. We ask that you comfort them at this time of Darkness and that your arms of love would embrace them and draw them into your heart. Father give them answers where there are questions, hope where there is hopelessness, in Jesus name! Amen.

Mark Gent is an English Bulldog of a Writer, President of OmniGod Music Group UK and Operations Supervisor for OmniGod Music Group.